Shoe Review: Men’s K-Swiss Big Shot II

TU Tennis Blog Shoe Review: K-Swiss Big Shot II (Mens)

Suggested Retail Price: $104.99

Shoe Details: KSwiss has redesigned the popular Big Shot with the help of their professional players on tour to create the Big Shot II. With feedback from some of the most elite players in the world, they’ve made this new offering lighter, more stable, more breathable, more comfortable, and more durable than its predecessor. This shoe offers a low-profile, slipper-like feel to keep you feeling light and fast on court. It’s built on KSwiss’ 360 degree Plantar Support Chassis that enhances mid-foot and heel stability. As for durability, KSwiss used the same Aosta 7.0 rubber compound for strengthened durability on the outsole, and the shoe is backed by a 6-month outsole durability guarantee. Try the Big Shot II for a lightweight speed shoe with all the durability and support that you’ll need.

Weight: 14.4 oz

Color/ Style: Black/Fiery Red/Charcoal

Cumulative Score

Shoe Company:

K-Swiss

Shoe Name:

Big Shot II

Total

Ave.

Fit

30

7.50

Weight

34

8.50

Cushioning

29

7.25

Width

33

8.25

Outersole Wear

32

8.00

Traction

33

8.25

Stability

32

8.00

Vent./Breath.

35

8.75

Looks/Style

33

8.25

Total

291

8.08

Ave

72.75

Ave based on 100

80.83

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Reviewer Name: Richard Arnold

Shoe Name: K-Swiss Big Shot II

# of Hours Played: 10+

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Rating (1-10; 1- worst, 5 – Average, 10 – best)

Fit: 9

Weight: 9

Cushioning: 7

Width: 9

Outersole Wear: 9

Traction: 9

Stability: 9

Ventilation/Breathability: 9

Looks/Style: 9

Total: 79 (out of 90 pts)

Comments: One of the best shoes I’ve tried, almost perfect. Lite-weight, breathable, and stylish. The outer sole is one of the best I’ve seen, clearly designed to hold up to a lot of wear and tear. Very roomy on the inside, they also had a nice lacing pattern that held the shoe tight to my foot, and provided great support.

I found only 2 negatives with the shoe. The inside could have used just a little more cushioning, and the shoe design seemed to put my weight distribution more towards my heals, instead of the balls of my feet. This reduced over-all mobility, especially moving quickly forward.

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Reviewer Name: Pete Rinaldi

Shoe Name: K-Swiss BigShot ll

# of Hours Played: 16

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Rating (1-10; 1- worst, 5 – Average, 10 – best)

Fit: 8

Weight: 8

Cushioning: 9

Width: 9

Outersole Wear: 9

Traction: 8

Stability: 9

Ventilation/Breathability: 9

Looks/Style: 7

Total: 76 (out of 90 pts)

Comments: K-Swiss has done a great job in the evolution of their Big Shot shoe line. The original was a good shoe but this Big Shot ll is a very good shoe. The fit is very good, snug but not over done. The “ride” is nice and low, no big heel wedge. The padding is good and again not over done. The weight of the shoe or better the lack of it, is noticeable the moment you pull them out of the box. This is the second lightest shoe I have ever worn. Even with its light weight the shoe is very stable and does not feel cheap. The traction is quite good on hard courts even on the slick courts of Tri City. The shoe seems to breathe very well and look pretty good. Looking for a new shoe? Give these a try!

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Reviewer Name: Ryan Martin

Shoe Name: KSwiss Big Shot II

# of Hours Played: 8 hrs

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Rating (1-10; 1- worst, 5 – Average, 10 – best)

Fit: 5

Weight: 8

Cushioning: 5

Width: 8

Outersole Wear: 7

Traction: 8

Stability: 5

Ventilation/Breathability: 8

Looks/Style: 8

Total: 62 (out of 90 pts)

Comments: KSwiss has stepped its game with the Big Shot II; coming from the original Big Shot which seemed better suited to a skateboard than a tennis court – the Big Shot II could win the award for this year’s most improved tennis shoe. The shoe fit me about a half size too small and as such my big toe was talking to me after about an hour worth of play. The ankle support is a bit too minimalistic for my taste and after a quick change of direction I did experience some ankle waggle from time to time. While I appreciated the aggressive black and red stylings of the Big Shot IIs rubber mesh, I disliked how I could feel the entire shoe give after a hard stop.

BOTTOM LINE: This is a much improved tennis shoe coming from the original Big Shot but it’s still made with the agile court slider in mind. My movement isn’t very agile and at 6 feet tall and about 200pnds, I need more support in a tennis shoe. If you are looking for a light weight, maneuverable, low profile tennis shoe…give KSwiss’s Big Shot II a try. (NOTE:: I found the shoe to fit about a half size too small)

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Reviewer Name: Sherwin So

Shoe Name: K-Swiss BigShot ll

# of Hours Played: 14

Rating (1-10; 1- worst, 5 – Average, 10 – best)

Fit: 8

Weight: 9

Cushioning: 8

Width: 7

Outersole Wear: 7

Traction: 8

Stability: 9

Ventilation/Breathability: 9

Looks/Style: 9

Total: 74 (out of 90 pts)

Comments: The Big Shot II was a huge improvement over the original Big Shot in terms of performance. They shaved off quite a bit of weight and made it a perfect match day shoe. The only complaint was that it was on the narrow side in width and after 10 hours of play I noticed the outersole starting to wear out. Other than that, it performed better than most of the shoes we have tested and on a personal level, rank them as one of my top 3 shoes tested.

One Response

The K-swiss line is very nice. The sneakers and clothes are well made. You pay a little more for it but its well worth it. Ive had a K-swiss tennis shirt for 7 yrs now and everytime I wash it it looks brand new.

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